Fasteners and methods relating to same

ABSTRACT

Fasteners are disclosed herein which resist loosening even when used in applications and environments where the fastener is exposed to vibration. In one form, a two piece fastener is used for connecting multiple workpieces. In another form, a simplified fastener is disclosed for quickly and easily connecting items. In yet another form, a plug type fastener is disclosed. Other fasteners and related methods are also disclosed herein.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.14/212,855, filed Mar. 14, 2014, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 61/800,438, filed Mar. 15, 2013, both ofwhich are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to self locking fasteners and methodsrelating to same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fasteners are used in a variety of applications. For example, somefasteners, such as thumb screws, are used to lock items down, or inplace, or to secure items, and allow the fasteners to be easily removedwithout the need for hand tools to tighten or loosen the fastener. Oneproblem with such fasteners, however, is that they are often prone toloosening do to external forces applied against them, such as vibrationand other forms of interference. For example, thumb screws are used tosecure scope mounts to some fire arms. Often times these thumb screwsloosen due to the vibration the screws experience during operation ofthe fire arm. Eventually the screws may loosen or give way enough tocause the scope to move out of alignment and affect the accuracy of thescope and/or the fire arm operator's accuracy. Other problems associatewith such fasteners relate to the methods associated with manufacturingand/or assembling these items and the methods for fastening associatedwith such items.

Prior attempts have been made to secure components to firearms usingscrews in combination with cam levers, detents and locking pins but allof these still have disadvantages. Original designs used simple thumbscrews that easily loosened and required frequent hand tightening inorder to remain secure in use. In later designs, as in U.S. Pat. No.7,694,450, an eccentric cam is used to align or adjust the fit of theoptical mount to the side of a M14 rifle receiver but a mechanicalfastener ultimately holds the mount to the M14s receiver. Thus, withthis design tools are still required to tighten the mechanical fastener,such as wrenches or other means of adding torque, and the fasteneritself remains susceptible to loosening due to the vibration that thefastener is exposed to during the operation of the firearm. In otherdesigns, as in U.S. Pat. No. 7,272,904, a throw lever connected to atapered eccentric cam is used that engages the underside of a Weaver orPicatinny rail. This design is limited to only rail mounting systems andrequires tools to adjust the ultimate holding force of the cam.Furthermore, it appears to also be susceptible to vibration andloosening as evident by the fact the same applicant has had to add alocking pin to the lever to prevent the lever from coming loose asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,272,904.

In other applications, fasteners are used to connect two or more workpiece members together in such a way that they can be readily secured ortightened and, just as readily, released. For example, U.S. Pat. No.4,133,142, issued Jan. 9, 1979 to Dzus, illustrates a latch forreleasably holding two members together. The latch includes a studadapted to be mounted in fixed position on one of the members and areceptacle adapted to be mounted in fixed position on the other of themembers and located to engage with the stud when the members are broughttogether. A simple turn of the member with the stud can rotate the studinto engagement with the receptacle to secure or tighten the latch tosecure the two work piece members together. An opposite turn of themember with the stud can rotate the stud out of engagement with thereceptacle so that the member with the stud and the receptacle (andtheir respective work piece members) are freely moveable with respect toone another. Unfortunately, such fasteners are typically limited in theamount of turning they can require to secure or release the fastener,require tools to operate the fastener components and/or are susceptibleto vibration and loosening in certain applications.

In still other applications, fasteners are used to obstruct or plugopenings. For example, fasteners such as plugs are often used toreleasably block bilge well openings on boats and fluid drains, such asoil drains on vehicles and machinery. Such fasteners typically requiretools to operate and/or are susceptible to vibration and loosening incertain applications. Like all the above-mentioned embodiments, suchfasteners also do not offer ways in which the fastener can be adjustedor altered without tools in order to accommodate particular users (e.g.,left handers, right handers, those with injuries or limitations, etc.)and/or accommodate the particular application the fastener is used in(e.g., particulars with respect to the surrounding environment, such asif it is a tight working space or if obstructions are present, etc.).Conventional fasteners also do not make it easy to determine when afastener has been secured to a work piece a sufficient amount and failto allow a user to use different materials for different components ofthe fastener.

Accordingly, it has been determined that a need exists for an improvedfastener and methods relating to same which overcome the aforementionedlimitations and which further provide capabilities, features andfunctions, not available in current fasteners and methods relating tosame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A self-locking and/or quick release fastener is disclosed herein whichis self-contained and resists loosening even when used in applicationsand environments where the fastener is exposed to vibration. In one formthe present invention provides a screw-type or bolt type fastener,methods of manufacturing and/or assembling such fasteners, and methodsof fastening using such fasteners. In another form, the inventionprovides a nut-type fastener, methods of manufacturing and/or assemblingsuch fasteners, and methods of fastening using such fasteners. In stillother forms, the invention provides components for creating self-lockingand/or quick release type fasteners using at least in part conventionalmaterials and/or fasteners, methods of manufacturing and/or assemblingsuch fasteners, and methods of fastening using such fasteners. Inanother form, the invention provides prepackaged kits for customizablefasteners that purchasers can buy and use to assemble customizedfasteners in accordance with the invention. In yet other embodiments,the invention provides quick release fasteners or latches, such asfractional-turn fasteners (e.g., quarter-turn fasteners), for use inapplications where it is desired to releasably hold or secure two ormore work pieces or work piece members. In another form, the inventionprovides quick-release fasteners for obstructing or plugging openingssuch as boat well openings, fluid drains such as oil drains and enginesump drains on vehicles and machinery. The embodiments disclosed hereinprovide quick-release and/or self-locking fasteners that can secure awork piece member without require the use of tools (e.g., tool lessfasteners), that have a reduced susceptibility to vibration andloosening. More over the exemplary embodiments of the inventiondisclosed herein include the ability to reposition or reorient fasteners(e.g., reorientable or reorientatable fasteners) in order to offer waysin which the fastener can be adjusted or altered without tools in orderto accommodate particular users (e.g., left handers, right handers,those with injuries or limitations, etc.) and/or accommodate theparticular application the fastener is used in (e.g., particulars withrespect to the surrounding environment, such as if it is a tight workingspace or if obstructions are present, etc.). In other forms, ratchetingand/or audible fasteners are provided that make it easy to determinewhen the fastener has been secured to a work piece a sufficient amount.The ratcheting fastener can provide audible feedback and/or tactilefeedback to a user to help the user understand when the fastener hasbeen sufficiently coupled or uncoupled to a work piece. In some forms,the ratcheting fasteners are configured to allow rotation in only onedirection to further simplify operation of the fastener. In still otherforms, alternate multi-piece fasteners and/or poly-material fastenersare provided that allow a fastener to have components of a first type ofmaterial and components of a second type of material different from thefirst, and so on, to accommodate particular applications and/or uses forthe fastener. For example, in one form a bi-material fastener, such as abi-metal fastener, is provided having a stainless steel threaded shankand an anodized aluminum outer sleeve and/or cover for use in motorcycleoil plug applications or other applications where a visible plug typefastener is required and attractive appearance is desired.

Many methods are also disclosed and contemplated herein including butnot limited to methods of manufacturing, methods of fastening, methodsfor fastening a screw or bolt, methods for fastening a nut or collar,methods for manufacturing fasteners including a method for manufacturinga screw or bolt and a method for manufacturing a nut, and methods ofdoing business such as methods of packaging fasteners for sale, methodsof providing pre-packaged fasteners with pre-determined specificationsand methods of selling customizable parts for the construction orassembly of customized fasteners for purchase. Methods of manufacturingor providing two-piece, fractional turn, quick-release, plug,reorientable, ratcheting and/or audible or tactile feedback type andpoly-material fasteners are also provided herein, as are methods ofsecuring or using such fasteners. Methods of marking fasteners withvarious designs, marks, indicia and the like are also disclosed as aremethods of identifying fasteners using color, indicia, marks and similarmarkings.

These and other embodiments and methods of the invention will becomeapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the detaileddescription of the invention that follows below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in exemplary embodiments with referenceto drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is an exploded view of a screw type fastener in accordance withone form of the present invention;

FIGS. 1B-F are perspective, plan, front elevation, bottom and sideelevation views of the fastener of FIG. 1, respectively, with the camhandle in the unlocked position;

FIG. 1G is a cross-sectional view of the fastener of FIG. 1 taken alongline G-G in FIG. 1D with the cam handle in the unlocked position;

FIGS. 1H-L are perspective, plan, front elevation, bottom and sideelevation views of the fastener of FIG. 1, respectively, with the camhandle in the locked position;

FIG. 1M is a cross-sectional view of the fastener of FIG. 1 taken alongline M-M in FIG. 1J with the cam handle in the locked position;

FIG. 2A is an exploded view of a nut type fastener in accordance withanother form of the present invention;

FIGS. 2B-F are perspective, plan, front elevational, bottom and sideelevational views of the fastener of FIG. 2, respectively, with the camhandle in the unlocked position;

FIG. 2G is a cross-sectional view of the fastener of FIG. 2 taken alongline G-G in FIG. 2D with the cam handle in the unlocked position;

FIGS. 2H-L are perspective, plan, front elevation, bottom and sideelevation views of the fastener of FIG. 2 with the cam handle in thelocked position;

FIG. 2M is a cross-sectional view of the fastener of FIG. 2 taken alongline M-M in FIG. 2J with the cam handle in the locked position;

FIGS. 3A-C are perspective views of alternate fastener components inaccordance with other forms of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A-D are perspective, rear elevation, side elevation and planviews of the fastener of FIG. 2, respectively, illustrating the possibledeflection that the washer can incur if the fastener is setup with sucha configuration; and

FIG. 4E is a cross-sectional view of the fastener of FIG. 2 taken alongline E-E in FIG. 4B, further illustrating the possible deflection thatthe washer can incur if the fastener is setup with such a configuration;

FIGS. 5A-B are perspective views of alternate scope mounts in accordancewith the present invention, with FIG. 5A illustrating a Weaver typemount and FIG. 5B illustrating a Pickatinny type mount;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a screw type fastener in accordance withone form of the present invention illustrating an additional sleeve;

FIGS. 7A-C are exploded, top and cross-sectional views of a fractionalturn fastener with a partial pin receiver in accordance with anotheraspect of the present invention, the cross-sectional view being takenalong line H-H in FIG. 7B;

FIGS. 8A-C are exploded, top and cross-sectional views of a fractionalturn fastener with a full pin receiver in accordance with another aspectof the present invention, the cross-sectional view being taken alongline H-H in FIG. 7B;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternate receiver in accordance withanother aspect of the present invention;

FIGS. 10A-E are perspective, top, front cross-sectional, bottom and sidecross-section views of an alternate fastener with an integratedfrictional element in accordance with another aspect of the presentinvention, the front cross-sectional view being taken along line E-E inFIG. 10C and the side cross-sectional view being taken along line F-F inFIG. 10D;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of an alternate fractional turn assembly inaccordance with another embodiment of the invention illustrating athreaded receiver defining a socket with a full length pin engagement;

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of an alternate fractional turn assembly inaccordance with another embodiment of the invention illustrating athreaded receiver having an external pin engagement;

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of an alternate fractional turn assembly inaccordance with another embodiment of the invention illustrating a weldplate with full pin engagement;

FIGS. 14A-M comprise a plurality of views of an alternate fastener inaccordance with another embodiment of the invention illustrating afastener with a threaded insert, sleeve, washer and cam lockingmechanism or actuator;

FIGS. 15A-E are exploded, top, cross-sectional, perspective and frontelevation views of an alternate plug type fastener in accordance withanother embodiment of the invention, the cross-sectional view beingtaken along line B-B in FIG. 15B.

FIGS. 16A-B are exploded views of an alternate plug type repositionableor reorientable fastener in accordance with another embodiment of theinvention, with FIG. 16A being viewed from above and FIG. 16B beingviewed from below and both drawings illustrating the correspondingmating structures of the outer body or cup/sleeve and the insert whichare movable between a first or engaged position wherein the outer bodyand insert move in unison with one another and a second or disengagedposition wherein the outer body and insert move independently from oneanother;

FIG. 16C is a perspective view of the plug of FIGS. 16A-B showing theplug partially assembled, but with the biasing member or spring washerexploded from the remainder of the assembly so as to illustrate how thecorresponding mating structures of the outer body or cup/sleeve and theinsert mate or engage one another when in the fastener is in the firstor engaged position so as to move in unison with one another;

FIGS. 16D-F are front elevation, plan and cross-section views,respectively, of the plug of FIGS. 16A-C, with the cross-section beingtaken along line F-F in FIG. 16E and illustrating the fastener in thefirst or engaged position wherein the corresponding mating structures ofthe outer body and insert are engaged with one another so that the outerbody and insert move or travel in unison (for convenience, the sealingmembers have been removed to make their respective channels or recessesmore readily visible);

FIG. 16G is an enlarged view of portion G in FIG. 16F illustrating thelarger reduced diameter portion of the outer body or cup/sleeve that thesecond seal member or O-ring (not shown) may be moved into when theactuator or pin handle is moved to a second or disengaged position;

FIGS. 16H-I are plan and cross section views, respectively, of the plugof FIGS. 16A-G, with the cross-section being taken along line I-I inFIG. 16H and illustrating the fastener in the second or disengagedposition wherein the corresponding mating structures of the outer bodyand insert are disengaged from one another so that the outer body andinsert are movable independent of one another so that the outer body andactuator handle or pin may be repositioned or reoriented with respect tothe insert (again the sealing members or O-rings have been removed tomake their respective receptacles more easily visible);

FIGS. 16J-K are partially exploded and perspective views, respectively,of the plug of FIGS. 16A-I, with FIG. 16J illustrating the fastener inthe second or disengaged position of FIGS. 16H-I with the biasing orspring member exploded from the fastener to show how the correspondingmating structures of the outer body and insert disengage from oneanother to allow the outer body and actuator handle or pin to moveindependent of the insert and FIG. 16K illustrating the fastener with anoptional cap or cover member on the fastener to allow for the displayingof indicia, color or the like and having a vertical arrow to indicatemovement of the plug portion of the fastener to put the fastener in thesecond or disengaged position and a horizontal arrow illustratingpossible movements the outer body may make with respect to the insertwhen in the second or disengaged position so that the outer body andactuator handle may be repositioned or reoriented with respect to theinsert;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an alternate ratcheting or audible typefastener in accordance with additional aspects of the inventiondisclosed herein;

FIG. 18A illustrates a perspective view of an alternate fastenerembodiment in accordance with the invention in which a poly-materialrepositionable or reorientable plug type fastener is illustrated; and

FIGS. 18B-D are perspective views of alternate outer body or cup/sleevestructures that may be used in conjunction with the fastener of FIG.18A, with the outer body structures being made of a first materialdifferent from the insert (not shown).

While the invention will be described in connection with preferredembodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit theinvention to these embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to coverall alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be includedwithin the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims. Furthermore, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements inthe figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have notnecessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some ofthe elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to otherelements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of thepresent invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that areuseful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are typicallynot depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of thesevarious embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Self locking fasteners in accordance with the invention are disclosedherein and will be discussed in further detail below. In additionmethods associated with said fastener are also disclosed including, butnot limited to, methods of fastening, methods of manufacturing andassembling a fastener, methods of customizing a fastener and methods ofpackaging and selling a fastener.

In one form, the self locking fastener comprises a screw or bolt with acup and a cam locking mechanism, such as a pin as illustrated in FIGS.1A-M. In this embodiment the screw or bolt is designed with a shoulderportion, such as ring (32) located above the threaded shaft or shank(38) of the screw or bolt, with an upper head (30) that is located abovethe ring (32) and spaced apart therefrom to define an opening, such asgroove (34), that a portion of locking pin (40) will occupy when thescrew is inserted in the cup (10) and the locking pin (40) is insertedthrough the opening (12) of cup (10) as will be described further below.The upper head (30) preferably being of a certain thickness and diameterto be strong enough but enable a certain amount of deflection so as todevelop a suitable amount of force between the head of the screw (30),the locking pin (40) and the cup (10), when assembled. In alternateembodiments, the ring (32) and/or shaft (44) of locking pin (40) mayalternatively be designed to provide deflection instead of, or inaddition to, the upper head (30) of the screw.

The cup (10) is formed as a round cylinder with a stepped interior thatis designed to fit around the screw ring (32) and around the screw head(30), which in this embodiment has a larger diameter than the diameterof the ring (32). A whole (12) perpendicular to the primary axis of thecylinder, on a chord across the cylinder, serves to orient the lockingpin (40) in the groove (34) between the ring (32) and the head of thescrew (30). In alternate forms, the cup (10) may be shaped as a simplesleeve, rather than a cup, with an opening to position the locking pin(40) in the groove (34).

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1A, the locking pin (40) comprisesa round wire bent into a D shape to form a clip, and having a flattenedportion (44) along the straight section of the “D” shaped clip whichcreates a D shaped cross section at least along the portion that isinserted into the cup (10). As may be better understood from looking atFIGS. 1G and 1M, the orientation of this D shape cross section allowsthe cup (10) to be closer to the screw head (30) with the D in the “up”position or with the flattened portion (44) of pin (40) facing up (seeFIG. 1G cross section). When the D rotates toward the “down” position orwhen the flattened portion (44) is moved to a position other than facingup (see FIG. 1M cross section), the cup (10) is held further away fromthe screw head (30) thereby causing the screw head (30) to deflect andexert downward pressure via the locking pin (40) on the cup (10).

In the form illustrated, the locking pin (40) includes an integratedtool that may be of other use for the particular application thefastener will be used in. For example, in FIGS. 1A-M, the pin (40)includes a hex key or head (46) for use tightening down and/or looseningbolts or screws with hexagonal head sockets like those used on riflesand/or in connection with rifle scopes and scope mounts. Thus, thefastener depicted serves as a multi-function tool in that it can be usedboth as a tool and a self locking fastener all in one. In alternateforms, other types of tools may be provided including but not limited toscrewdrivers, punches, etc., or alternatively no additional tool end(46) may be provided. It should also be appreciated that the locking pin(40) may be designed with a variety of different shapes. For example,instead of leaving a larger gap between the distal end of the handle andthe flattened portion (44) or tool end (46), the pin (40) could beprovided with minimal gap so that it serves as more of an R pin orhairpin cotter pin that secures the pin (40) to the cup (10) wheninserted through the cup (10). In yet other forms, the locking pin (40)could be designed as a simple shaft with a cammed surface instead of ahandled pin as shown. Such a shaft could be designed with a ridge orbump to lock the pin into the cup (10) if desired. In still otherembodiments other conventional types of pin and shaft designs may beused.

Now turning back to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1A-M, with thescrew head (30) inside the cup (10), at least a portion of the lockingpin (40) can be passed through the alignment hole (12) in the cup (10),effectively holding all three pieces of the assembly together. With theD shaped cross section portion of the locking pin (40) in the “up”position or the flattened portion (44) facing up (see FIG. 1G crosssection) the screw can be threaded into a mating hole (e.g., aninternally threaded bore, an internally threaded nut, etc.). When thescrew is hand tight, the D clip can be rotated to the “down” positionwhere the flattened portion (44) is not facing up (see FIG. 1M crosssection), effectively increasing the distance between the bottom of thecup (10) and the top of the head (30) of the screw. This increase inthickness (relating to the cam action of the pin (40)) is sized tocreate a substantial amount of force on the cup, effectively torquingthe screw against the surface containing the mating hole that the screwhas been threaded into or the surface that is positioned between thescrew head (30) and the nut the fastener is being threaded into (if usedin such a configuration).

In a preferred form, the screw head (30) and cup (10) are designed witha mating configuration that prevents the screw from rotating withrespect to the cup (10) once positioned within cup (10). For example, inthe embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1A-M, the screw head (30) and cup(10) are designed with matching rosette patterns (36, 20) that allow thescrew head (30) to be positioned within the cup (10) in a variety ofdifferent rotational directions, but then prevent rotational movement ofthe screw head (30) (and thus the screw) once inserted into the cup (10)due to the matching rosette pattern of the inner wall of the cup (10).The screw head (30) rests on the step (14) formed inside the cylinder ofcup (10). In the form illustrated the rosette pattern provides twelvedifferent orientations that the screw can be placed in with respect tothe cup (10). In alternate embodiments, different mating configurationsmay be used providing as many different orientations (or plurality oforientations) as may be desired. For example, symmetrical matingconfigurations such as triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, Torx, starredor toothed, etc. shaped designs may be used to allow the screw head (30)to fit within the cup (10) while still preventing rotation. In yet otherexamples, asymmetric designs may be used to ensure that the screw head(30) (and thus screw) can only be fit within the cup (10) in oneorientation. In still other embodiments, no mating structure may beused, for example, if rotation of the screw is desired within the cup(10). In the latter embodiment, the cup (10) may be designed with athreaded opening, if desired, and a set screw may be disposed in thethreaded opening and used to fix the screw into a desired position withrespect to the cup (10).

The cup (10) may also be formed with a design or surface to aid inpreventing the cup (10) from rotating with respect to the surface ofanything it comes into contact with. For example, in the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1A-M, the lower surface or bottom of the cup (10)is designed with a scalloped pattern (18) to create a frictionalengagement between the bottom of the cup (and thus the cup itself) andwhatever surface the bottom of the cup comes into contact with (e.g.,the abutted surface). In yet other forms, a variety of differentdesigns, surfaces (or surface textures), or coatings may be used on thebottom of the cup (10) to accomplish the above described frictionalengagement between the cup and the surface it comes into contact with.For example, in one form a textured surface may be used on the bottom ofcup (10) to create a frictional engagement between the cup (10) and thesurface it comes into contact with when the fastener is attached tosomething. In another form a sticky coating may be applied to the bottomof the cup (10) to create such a frictional engagement. For example anadhesive, such as glue or double sided tape, may be applied to thebottom of the cup (10) to create the frictional engagement. In the caseof double sided tape, for example, the tape may already be applied tothe bottom surface of cup (10) on one side and a peelable film ormembrane may be left over the opposite, exposed side of the tape so thata user can remove this film and membrane when they wish to have the cup(10) form a frictional engagement with whatever surface it comes intocontact with. In still other forms, the bottom of the cup (10) may bedesigned with protrusions, such as angled barbs, that dig into thesurface of whatever the fastener is being connected to in order toprevent rotation, or protrusions that engage a like pattern in themating surface. In some application, however a cup (10) with a smoothbottom surface may be desired and therefore used. In yet other forms,all of these alternate designs, surfaces or coatings may be implementedon the ring (32) either in addition to or in lieu of the cup (10), ifdesired. It should also be appreciated that all of the alternateembodiments mentioned above may be used or implemented in the alternatefastener forms that will be discussed further below.

Thus, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1A-M, a self locking fastener isdisclosed that is self-contained and resists loosening even when used inapplications and environments where the fastener is exposed to vibrationor shock. Unlike conventional fasteners, the cam actuator (40) iscontained within the cup (10) and does not need to come into directcontact with the article that is being fastened. When actuated the camactuator (40) applies force on the cup (10) to engage an externalsurface of one of the articles being fastened thereby causing thearticles to be secured or clamped together so that one cannot move withrespect to the other. In the form illustrated the screw head (30) servesas a spring that allows the fastener to apply the force on cup (10)which ultimately causes the clamping of the articles being fastenedtogether.

Turning now to FIGS. 2A-M, in another form, the invention may comprise afastener such as a nut with a cup, sleeve, washer and a cam lockingmechanism. In this embodiment, the fastener is designed with a cup (10)and pin (40) similar to those discussed above with respect to FIGS.1A-M, however, the fastener also includes a sleeve (220) and a washer(230). The sleeve (220) has a shoulder portion (226) with an innercollar (228) extending upward therefrom and a flattened side wall andstep (224) on one side which engages the pin (40) when inserted throughthe holes (12) of cup (10). The inner collar (228) is coaxially alignedwith the remainder of the sleeve (220) and has an inner opening that islarger in diameter than at least a portion of the remaining opening(222) defined by the sleeve (220) in order to form an inner shoulder orstep within the diameter of the inner collar (228). In a preferred formthe inner collar comprises a tubular rivet which the washer (230) can bepositioned about via opening (232) and then the collar can be deformed(e.g., upset or bucked) to secure the washer (230) to the sleeve (220).Once connected in this manner the washer (230) and flattened side walland step (224) form an opening, like opening (34) mentioned above, thatcan be aligned with the openings (12) of cup (10) to form a channel sothat locking pin (40) can be inserted into the assembly through thechannel formed by these parts.

With the washer (230) and sleeve (220) connected and inserted inside thecup (10), at least a portion of the locking pin (40) can be passedthrough the alignment holes (12) in the cup (10), effectively holdingall four pieces of the assembly together. In the form illustrated, theremaining opening (222) of sleeve (220) may be threaded or partiallythreaded in order to accept a mating fastener such as a bolt or screw.Thus, when the D shaped cross section portion (44) of the locking pin(40) is in the “up” position or with the flattened portion (44) facingup (see FIG. 2G cross-section) the nut can be threaded onto the matingscrew or bolt and when the nut is hand tight, the D clip (40) can berotated to the “down” position where the flattened portion (44) is notfacing up (see FIG. 2M cross-section), effectively increasing thedistance between the bottom of the cup (10) and the washer (230) therebycausing the downward pressure on the nut to secure the nut and itsmating fastener in position. As in FIGS. 1A-M, this increase inthickness (relating to the cam action of the pin (40)) is sized tocreate a substantial amount of force on the cup (10), effectivelytorquing the nut against the surface adjacent the nut and through whichthe mating fastener has been inserted.

Although a rivet configuration is used to secure the washer (230) to thesleeve (220), it should be understood that other fastening techniquesand configurations may be used to secure the washer (230) to the sleeve(220) (e.g., interference fit, welding, pin or pins inserted through thecollar (222) above the washer to secure the washer to the sleeve (220),set screws or simply posts threaded above the washer to prevent itsremoval, detents on the collar that the washer gets pressed over andthen secured on the sleeve thereby, ball and detent configurations,etc.). In fact in other embodiments, the washer (230) may be formedintegrally with the sleeve (220) so long as the washer (230) continuesto allow the appropriate amount of deflection required to allow thenecessary movement of the pin (40) to take place (e.g., to allow theabove described cam or camming action to take place). If desired, thefastener could be designed such that the sleeve with integral washercould then be interference fit into the cup (10). In still others forms,the washer may be replaced with a threaded cap that screws onto thecollar (222) and provides a surface for capturing the pin (40) whilestill allowing for deflection (e.g., if the fastener nut is not setupwith the pin to deflect or the step (224) to deflect). In yet otherforms, the nut fastener may be configured such that the sleeve (220)itself forms the groove within which the pin (40) is inserted and thesleeve is interference fit (e.g., like a press fit nut) into or reversethreaded into the cup (10).

It also should be understood that although the cup (10) and sleeve (220)are illustrated as having cylindrical configurations, these parts couldtake various other sizes and shapes in alternate embodiments if desired.For example, both the cup (10) and sleeve (220) could be configured withsquare or rectangular shapes. In one form, the shape of the sleeve (220)may be configured so that it matches a mating shape of the inner openingof the cup (10) so that the sleeve (220) cannot be rotated with respectto the cup (10) (or rotated separate and apart from the cup (10)) whendisposed within the cup (10), (in a manner similar to that discussedabove with respect to the mating shapes of the screw head (30) and cupopening (20) of FIGS. 1A-M).

Thus, in the embodiment of FIGS. 2A-M, a self locking nut type fasteneris disclosed that is self-contained and resists loosening even when usedin applications and environments where the fastener is exposed tovibration or shock. Unlike conventional fasteners, the cam actuator (40)is contained within the cup (10) and does not need to come into directcontact with the article that is being fastened. When actuated the camactuator (40) applies force on the cup (10) to engage an externalsurface of one of the articles being fastened thereby causing thearticles to be secured or clamped together so that one cannot move withrespect to the other. In the form illustrated the washer (230) serves asa spring that allows the fastener to apply the force on cup (10) whichultimately causes the clamping of the articles being fastened together.

In yet another form, the invention may comprise a collar similar to thenut configuration illustrated in FIGS. 2A-M, but which may be used witha conventional fastener such as a screw or bolt to form a self lockingfastener similar to that described in FIGS. 1A-M. For example, in theform illustrated in FIGS. 3A-C, a conventional screw or bolt could beinserted into the central opening (222) of the sleeve (220) so that theassembled component would look somewhat similar to the assembly of FIG.1 and could be screwed or threaded into a mating opening when the pin(40) is in the “up” position or with the flattened portion (44) facingup, tightened until hand tight, and then locked into position byrotating the pin (40) into the “down” position or with the flattenedportion (44) in a position other than facing up. The conventional screwor bolt could be captured within or by the inner collar (228) during thedeforming step of the tubular rivet so that the upsetting or bucking ofthe rivet (228) not only secures the washer (230) to sleeve (220), butalso provides an obstruction preventing the conventional fastener frombeing removed from the inner opening (222) of sleeve (220).

A portion of the central opening (222) of the sleeve (220) could also beconfigured to have a shape that mates with the head of the conventionalfastener to ensure that the conventional fastener will rotate along withthe rotation of the sleeve (220) and/or cup (10) and not independentlyof one and/or both of these parts. For example, in one form at least aportion of the central opening (222) may form a hexagonal socket withinwhich the hex head of a conventional fastener is inserted (e.g.,disposed or nested) so that the conventional fastener cannot be rotatedindependent of the sleeve (220). Other mating configurations or shapescould alternatively be used as discussed above with respect to themating shapes of the screw head (30) and cup opening (20) of FIGS. 1A-M.For example, the conventional fastener could be interference fit (e.g.,press fit, friction fit, etc.) into the inner opening (222) of sleeve(220) so that it does not rotate with respect to the sleeve (220) and/orcup (10). In one such form, the head of the conventional fastener may bestar shaped (or starred) and press fit into the sleeve (220) like apress fit nut. In yet other embodiments, the fastener may comprise athreaded shank (238) disposed in sleeve (220) and secured thereto via aset screw (239) as shown in FIG. 3A. The sleeve (220) may also bedesigned with a shape that accommodates conventional tools, such as therectangular head configuration illustrated which can be rotated usingconventional sockets, pliers or wrenches, or alternate designs such assockets for conventional screwdrivers. Besides providing a flat surfaceto prevent rotation of the sleeve (220) and shank (238) from rotatingwith respect to the cup (10) when the cam (40) is inserted through theopenings (12) of the cup (10) and the fastener is fully assembled,another advantage to the rectangular shaped sleeve head illustrated inFIG. 3A is that the sleeve (220) can be positioned in one of fourdifferent orientations with respect to the cup (10) and the cam (40).Thus, if the fastener is not capable of giving the desired amount ofclamping force when the shank and sleeve head are in a particularorientation, the cam (40) can be removed from the fastener and the shank(238) and sleeve head (220) can be positioned in a different orientationwith respect to the cup (10) to see if the desired clamping force can beobtained. Alternatively, if desired the sleeve (220) could be designedwith a scalloped pattern to provide additional orientations that thesleeve (220) could be positioned in with respect to the cup (10). Withthis configuration, shanks could be provided in a variety of differentsizes, external thread pitches, diameters, etc., so that the fastenercan be customized to suit the specific application intended.

Similarly, in addition to the fasteners themselves and the sale of avariety of different pre-packaged fasteners with pre-determinedspecifications, the manufacture and sale of individual parts andfittings for the fasteners is contemplated as well in order to allow endusers to further customize the fasteners as they desire. For example, ifan end user wished to use a different conventional fastener for theembodiment discussed immediately above, the end user could move the pin(40) into the “up” position so that the pin (40) can be removed from thecup (10) and the fastener can be disassembled. Spare sleeves (220) andwashers (230) could be provided for purchase that would give the enduser this flexibility. Thus, if the end user originally purchased acollar in accordance with the embodiment discussed above that was meantfor use with a hex head conventional fastener and later changed his orher mind and wanted a collar that worked with a conventional fastenervia an interference fit, spare sleeve (220) and washer (230) parts ofthis type could be provided either separately or as a kit. Similarly, ifan end user purchased a nut in accordance with the description of FIG. 2above and wanted to change the thread pitch or type of bolt or screw thenut worked with, spare sleeves (220) and/or washers (230)to accommodatethis request could be provided either separately or as a kit. Stillanother request may require differing locking forces where the end usercould request varying washer (230) thicknesses to accomplish this.

For convenience, the embodiments of FIGS. 1A-M and 2A-M are illustratedwithout showing any actual deflection of the materials illustrated foreach embodiment because it is contemplated that fasteners made inaccordance with the concepts discussed herein could use deflecting orbending screw heads (30) or washers (230) or, alternatively, could usecam shafts (44) or cups (10) that deflect or bend, or even a combinationof any of these in order to lock the fastener in place. In a preferredform, however, the screw head (30) and washer (230) are designed todeflect when the cam shaft (44) is rotated between the “up” and “down”positions (or unlocked and locked positions, respectively). For example,in FIGS. 4A-E, the embodiment of FIGS. 2A-M, is illustrated showing thewasher (230) being deflected up when the cam shaft (44) is in thelocking position. Often times this deflection will be so minimal that itis almost imperceptible to the ordinary observer, however, the downwardforce this puts on the cup (10) is very much appreciable and secures thefastener in place such that it resists loosening even when exposed tovibration. The screw head (30) of FIGS. 1A-M would operate in much thesame way as the washer (230) in FIGS. 4A-E (e.g., with the screw head(30) deflecting up when the cam shaft (44) is moved from the releasedposition of FIG. 1G to the locked position of FIG. 1M). As discussed inthe paragraph immediately above, the washer (230) and screw head (30)can be provided in varying thicknesses to achieve the desired amount ofdownward force placed on cup (10). It also should be appreciated thatvarying amounts of clamping force can be asserted simply by deciding howtight to turn or rotate the fastener before actuating or moving the cam(40) from the unlocked or released position illustrated in FIGS. 1G and2G to the locked or secured position illustrated in FIGS. 1M and 2M. Forexample, in some applications it may be sufficient to rotate thefastener until the bottom of ring (32) or sleeve (220) just barelyengages the abutting surface of the piece the fastener is being rotatedinto engagement with while still allowing the fastener to not vibrateloose. This will likely make the cam (40) easy to maneuver between theunlocked and locked positions by leaving a bigger gap between the bottomof the cup (10) and the abutting surface so that the cup (10) can easilybe moved into and out of engagement with the abutting surface when thecam (40) is moved between the locking and unlocking positions,respectively. In other applications, it may be desirable to rotate thefastener until the bottom of ring (32) or sleeve (220) thoroughlyengages the abutting surface thereby making the cam (40) more difficultto maneuver between the unlocked and locked positions by leaving asmaller gap (if any) between the bottom of cup (10) and the abuttingsurface so that the cap (10) is harder to move into and out ofengagement with the abutting surface. It should be understood that onebenefit of keeping a gap between the bottom of the cup (10) and theabutting surface is to prevent the bottom of cup (10) from scraping ormarring the abutting surface while the fastener is being rotated intofurther engagement with this surface. Thus, in the form illustrated, thescalloped design of the bottom of cup (10) only engages the abuttingsurface when the cam (40) is moved between the locked and unlockedposition (or when the cup (10) is driven into and out of engagement withthe abutting surface, respectively). However, as discussed above, inalternate embodiments the fastener may be designed so that thefrictional design or surface of bottom of cup (10) engages the abuttingsurface earlier and digs into the surface to ensure that the cup (10)solidly engages the abutting surface and/or is prevented from rotatingor moving with respect thereto.

In view of the above, it should be understood that many methods are alsodisclosed herein including but not limited to methods of manufacturing,methods of fastening, methods of doing business and the like. Forexample, disclosed herein are methods for manufacturing fastenersincluding a method for manufacturing a screw or bolt and a method formanufacturing a nut? In addition, disclosed herein are methods offastening including a method for fastening a screw or bolt and a methodfor fastening a nut or collar? Still further, methods of doing businesssuch as methods of packaging fasteners for sale are disclosed hereinincluding a method of providing pre-packaged fasteners withpre-determined specifications and a method of selling customizable partsfor the construction or assembly of customized fasteners for purchase.Similarly, it should be understood that the variety of alternateembodiments described above for each form of the faster could be used orimplemented on any of the fasteners disclosed or contemplated by thedisclosure herein.

It should also be understood that many different materials may be usedto manufacture fasteners in accordance with the concepts discussedherein. In the embodiments illustrated and discussed above, thecomponents may be constructed of materials including, but not limitedto, 4140 quenched and tempered steel for the screw (30) illustrated inFIGS. 1A-M, oil hardened 1075 and 1095 spring steel and 200 seriesstainless steel for the washer (230) illustrated in FIGS. 2A-M and 4A-E,and ring (40). The cup can be machined from 1020, 1045, 12L14 4140quenched and tempered steel and stainless steel. For mass production thesleeve (220) and the cup (10) could be injection molded out of zinc.Still in other lighter applications aluminum alloys could be used forcomponents or a combination of aluminum and steel could be used. Forexample, in one form requiring a lighter fastener, everything except thespring washer (230) and the ring (40) could be provided in aluminumalloy. In yet other forms, polymers such as plastic may be used toconstruct fasteners in accordance with the concepts discussed herein orcombinations of plastics and metal may be use to construct suchfasteners.

In addition it should be understood that fasteners in accordance withthe concepts discussed herein may be used for a variety of differentapplications. Some examples of applications for these fasteners include,but are not limited to, mounting hardware and components in the fieldsof photography, recreational equipment, industrial components, firearmaccessories, automotive components, aircraft and aerospace. Anyapplication that requires mounting or holding of a component to anotheror the closing of items by use of a fastener and is beneficial to lockand unlock without tools and create a holding force that is vibrationresistant to loosening or un-tightening.

For example, in one specific application, scope mounts are sold forfirearms that use thumb screws for securing the scope mount andultimately the scope to the firearm. During use, conventional thumbscrews often (if not always) loosen due to the vibration experienced bythe screw during operation or repeated operation of the weapon. In laterdesigns, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 7,694,450, an eccentric cam is used toalign or adjust the fit of the optical mount to the side of a M14 riflereceiver but a mechanical fastener ultimately holds the mount to theM14s receiver. Thus, with this design tools are still required totighten the mechanical fastener, such as wrenches or other means ofadding torque, and the fastener itself remains susceptible to looseningdue to the vibration that the fastener is exposed to during theoperation of the firearm. In other designs, such as in U.S. Pat. No.7,272,904, a throw lever connected to a tapered eccentric cam is usedthat engages the underside of a Weaver or Picatinney rail. This designis limited to only rail mounting systems and requires tools to adjustthe ultimate holding force of the cam. Furthermore, it appears to alsobe susceptible to vibration and loosening as evident by the fact thesame applicant has had to add a locking pin to the lever to prevent thelever from coming loose as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No.2006/0207156.

As is evident by the problems that are associated with the abovereferenced patents, there still remains a need to provide a fastenerthat allows the user to secure components to firearms or other bodieswith a shock and vibration resistant holding force but without the needfor tools. The locking fastener disclosed herein is different from priorart fasteners in at least one way because it possesses the ability to betightened hand tight and then by use of a self contained cam lever, addan additional securing force to resist loosening due to shock andvibration. This design is flexible in that it can be used as a screw,nut or a receiver that accepts a variety of different pre-manufacturedscrews and bolts, giving the user many different configurations andsizes to choose from. This screw can easily be fit for use with manyexisting optical mounts currently on the market but would have thebenefit of a fastener that does not require tools for assembly andprovides a shock and vibration resistant holding force.

In FIGS. 5A-B, scope mounts in accordance with the invention areillustrated for a rifle, such as an M1A or M14 rifle, which use afastener similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 1A-M in place of theconventional thumb screw that would otherwise be used for suchapplication. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5A, a Weaver stylescope mount (400) is shown having a bracket, such as side plate orreceiver plate (402), and a base, such as scope mounting bracket (404),with Weaver style scope rings (406 and 408) for connecting a scope tothe scope mount (404). The side plate (402) is connected to the riflevia the fastener of FIGS. 1A-M by unlocking the fastener (as shown inFIG. 1G) and rotating the fastener until the bottom of ring (32) engagesthe abutting surface of the side plate (402) and then rotating the cam(40) into the locked position (as shown in FIG. 1M) using handle (42) sothat the bottom of cup (10) is driven into engagement with the abuttingsurface to lock the fastener in position or place. Once connected inthis manner, the fastener will resist loosening due to vibrationexperienced during operation of the firearm thereby keeping the scopemount and scope securely fastened to the firearm. The tool end 46 of thecam (40) is equipped with a hex key for tightening and loosening hexhead socket screws used elsewhere on the rifle and/or the rifle mount(e.g., like those used to secure the scope rings (406 and 408) to thescope mount (404) and those used to secure the side panel (402) to thescope mounting bracket (404), etc.). An additional benefit of theillustrated scope mount design is that it positions the scope low overthe barrel of the rifle so that the rifle operator gets a comfortableand accurate scope position to use while firing.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5B, a Picatinny style scope mount(430) is shown having a side plate (432) and a scope mounting bracket(434) each with a row of picatinny rails (432 a) and (434 a),respectively. The scope mount (430) may be connected to the rifle usinga fastener like the one illustrated in FIGS. 1A-M in a manner similar tothat discussed above with respect to scope mount 400. In the formillustrated, the picatinny rails (432 a and 434 a) form a tenon formating with a corresponding mortise or mortises located on accessoriesto be attached to the rails in a tenon and mortis or dovetailconfiguration. In this form, scope rings would be connected to thepicatinny rail (434 a) of the scope mount bracket (434) while otheraccessories, such as flashlights, laser pointers, laser range finders,etc., could be attached to the picatinny rail (432 a) of the side plate(432).

Although the scope mounts illustrated have been Weaver style andPicatinny style, it should be understood that fasteners in accordancewith the concepts disclosed herein could be used on many other styles ofscope mounts (e.g., 22 rings/Tip-off rings/dovetail rings,Redfield/Leupold style mounts, dual dovetail systems, clamp-on mounts,etc.), as well as many other completely different applications beyondjust scope mounts. For simplicity and convenience, U.S. Pat. Nos.7,694,450 and 7,272,904 and U.S. Patent Application No. 2006/0207156 arehereby incorporated herein by referenced in their entirety, rather thanreciting several paragraphs that would end up being redundant to thatwhich is disclosed in these documents.

In still other embodiments, the fastener disclosed herein may beequipped with additional items, such as an outer sleeve, to help assistin the operation of the fastener and/or identify the type of fastener orapplication the fastener is suited for. For example, an outer sleevemade of a polymeric material (either natural or synthetic), such as aplastic or rubber, may be used to surround the fastener and assist inholding the locking pin in place (e.g., holding the pin in the positionit is left in by a user and/or prevent the pin from sliding out of thefastener). This sleeve may also protect the fastener and/or thesurrounding environment (e.g., the surface or surfaces to which thefastener is being attached). In addition, the sleeve may be provided ina variety of different colors to customize the fastener or designatesome property of the fastener or its intended application (e.g.,providing a user preferred design, designating thread pitch, threadedshaft size, spring tension, metric/English, etc.). Methods associatedwith the addition of this outer sleeve and/or its uses are alsocontemplated.

An example of such an alternate embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 6. Forconvenience, items that are similar to those discussed above will usesimilar two-digit reference numerals, however, with the addition of theprefix “6” simply to distinguish one embodiment from another. Theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 shows a variation of the previousfastener embodiments with the addition of a spline pattern (639) on theshoulder (632) of screw (630) which meshes or mates with the splinepattern (622) of cup (610). This spline engagement prevents the screw(630) from rotating with respect to the cup (610), similar to therosette engagement of the embodiment shown and discussed in FIGS. 1A-Habove. The embodiment of FIG. 6 also shows the addition of a sleeve(650) which is fitted to the cup (610) and abuts to the shoulder (624)of the cup (610). The sleeve (650) provides a means of capturing thelocking pin (640) by means of a key (656) inside the sleeve passage(652) that engages a groove (646) in the end of the locking pin (640).Thus the locking pin (640) is prevented from sliding forward or aftalong the secondary axis normal to the primary axis of the fastener.Only by rotating the locking pin (640) to a specific orientationrelative to the sleeve key (656) and the locking pin flat (648) is itpossible to remove or insert the locking pin (640) past the sleeve key(656). This engagement prevents involuntary disassembly of the fastenercomponents. By means of a slightly undersized sleeve hole (652) comparedto the locking pin diameter (640), the locking pin (640) resistsrotating when engaged in the sleeve hole (652). This resistance keepsthe locking pin in a set orientation until the user chooses to move orrotate the locking pin (640). The sleeve (650) being made of a compliantmaterial also provides abrasion resistance to other surfaces that maycome into contact with the screw assembly, as well as providing a meansof color coding.

As mentioned above, a variety of sleeve colors or designs may be used tocustomize and/or differentiate one fastener type from another. Forexample, different colors could allow the end user to specify varyingbolt grip force, different threads, different measurement systems orscales, etc. For example, a line of fasteners may be provided usingdifferent colors to designate metric fasteners from Imperial fasteners.In another form, different colors may be used to differentiate betweenfasteners of varying grip force or spring tension. In other forms,different colors may be used to designate different thread pitches ordifferent fastener sizes. In still other forms, different colors may beused simply to allow the user to customize his or her bolts for adesired purpose. For example, fasteners may be contracted for andpurchased in a specific color in keeping with a consumer's desired tradedress or color scheme for a particular product or product line.Alternatively, an on-demand customization business model may be adopted(whether pre or post sale) that allows consumers to designate specificdesigns or colors they wish the sleeve to be produced in. For example, aparticular camouflage design may be requested by a hunting or sportinggoods chain for fasteners to be sold in their stores, or a particulardesign/pattern may be requested by a rifle scope manufacture forfasteners to be sold with their scope mounts.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the sleeve (650) may also be configured to besymmetric along the secondary normal axis of the primary fastener axisso it can be orientated to be left or right handed. Thus, in theembodiment illustrated, the fastener is shown configured for aleft-handed person, however, the outer sleeve (650) could be flippedover and the actuator (640) repositioned to align with the sleeve sothat the fastener is more comfortable for a right-handed person to use.It should also be noted that the spline and or sleeve is not restrictedto the view shown in FIG. 6 and could be used in combination with any ofthe previous embodiment discussed.

In FIG. 6, the fastener is illustrated with the handle or actuator (40)in a locked or lowered position so that the flat (644) is positionedaway from the lower surface of the fastener head (630). In thisconfiguration (assuming assembled and not exploded as shown), theactuator (640) cams against the fastener head (630), thereby increasingfrictional engagement between the fastener head (630) and the cup (610)and between the lower surface (618) of cup (610) (and optionally ring(632) as mentioned above) and the surface to which the fastener isconnected. In this embodiment, the actuator (640) cannot be removed fromthe fastener and the fastener assembly cannot be disassembled while theactuator (640) is in this position.

The actuator (640), could be rotated ninety degrees from the positionillustrated in FIG. 6 to an upright position (similar to that shown inFIGS. 1A-G and 2A-G for prior embodiments) to put the actuator (640) inan unlocked position so that the flat (644) is positioned near oradjacent the lower surface of fastener head (630). In thisconfiguration, no cam effect is applied to the cup (610) or head (630)and the fastener can be rotated (e.g., tightened, loosened, etc.) withrespect to the surface to which the fastener is connected. However,unlike the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1A-2M, the actuator (640)would not be removable from the fastener and/or the fastener could notbe disassembled simply by placing the actuator (640) in the uprightposition. Rather, in view of the shape/configuration of key opening(656) of the sleeve passage (658), the actuator (640) would have to berotated another ninety degrees (or one hundred and eighty degrees fromthat shown in FIG. 6) in order to align the flat (644) with thecorresponding flat wall of key 656 in order to remove the actuator (640)from the fastener and/or disassemble the fastener. It should beunderstood that when the actuator (640) is in this position (e.g., onehundred eighty degrees from that illustrated in FIG. 6), there could bea caroming force applied between the actuator (640) and fastener head(630). However, in a preferred form and so long as the fastener has beenunscrewed from tight engagement with the surface to which it is beingconnected, the fastener materials will provide sufficient give to allowfor the actuator (640) to be removed from the cup (610) and outer sleeve(650) so that the fastener can be disassembled.

In yet another form, the outer sleeve (650) may be configured to covermore of the fastener if desired. For example, in one form, the outersleeve (650) may form a cover that covers at least a portion of thescrew or bolt head (630) in order to keep the screw or bolt capturedwithin the cup (610). In this way the outer sleeve (650) not only helpskeep the actuator (640) connected to the fastener, but also helps keepother portions of the fastener assembled or connected. In another form,the outer sleeve (650) may alternatively or in addition, cover at leasta portion of the bottom of the cup (610) (or sleeve if implemented in anut type fastener embodiment like that illustrated in FIGS. 2A-M). Thiswould further assist in making the fastener a non-marring type fastenerto protect the outer surface of the structure to which the fastener isbeing connected. For example, in one form the outer sleeve (650) mayform an outer cup type structure into which at least a portion of cup(610) is disposed. The bottom wall of the outer cup type structure woulddefine an opening through which the shank (638) of the fastener would bedisposed and would preferably be thin and tight enough that thescalloped pattern (618) of cup (610) (or any other texture or designthat appears on the bottom thereof) would be replicated on the bottom ofthe outer sleeve (650) to provide similar benefits as those discussedabove with respect to the addition of these patterns, textures ordesigns. In this way the outer sleeve (650) forms a coating applied toan exterior surface of the fastener to prevent the fastener from marringor abrading a surface to which the fastener is connected. It should alsobe understood that in other forms, the cup (610) and sleeve (650) may beintegrated into one component if desired.

In another form, the invention may comprise a fastener such as a nutwith a cup, sleeve, washer and a cam locking mechanism as illustrated inFIGS. 7A-10E. In this embodiment, the fastener is designed with a cup(10), a sleeve (220), a washer (230) and pin (250) similar to thosediscussed above with respect to FIGS. 2A-M, however, the fastener uses acentered pin cam actuator (250) that engages both recesses, openings orpockets (252) in sleeve (220) on both sides. The center pin (250)prevents, hinters or retards the sleeve (220) and cup (10) from rotatingwith respect to each other (or one another). The bottom of pockets (252)serve as a surface which engages the pin (250) when inserted through thealignment holes (12) of cup (10). The inner collar (228) is coaxiallyaligned with the remainder of the sleeve (220) and has an inner openingthat is larger in diameter than at least a portion of the remainingopening (222) defined by the sleeve (220) in order to form an innershoulder or step within the diameter of the inner collar (228). In apreferred form the inner collar comprises a tubular rivet which thewasher (230) can be positioned about via opening (232) and then thecollar can be deformed (e.g., upset or bucked) to secure the washer(230) to the sleeve (220). The sleeve (220) can also include a frictionelement (760) that is comprised of a polymer pin that applies resistanceto a threaded component inserted into opening (222). The frictionelement (760) is inserted into a hole that is drilled perpendicular tothe primary axis of the sleeve opening (222). It should be understoodthat a variety of different substances and structures may be used forfrictional element (760) (e.g., patches of nylon or other materialsmelted to the threads, buttons of nylon materials like NYLOK buttons orother similarly useful materials), that these may take on a variety ofdifferent shapes and sizes, and/or may be located in a variety ofdifferent positions on the fastener.

With the washer (230) and sleeve (220) connected and inserted inside thecup (10), at least a portion of the locking pin (250) can be passedthrough the alignment holes (12) in the cup (10), effectively holdingall four pieces of the assembly together. In the form illustrated, theremaining opening (222) of sleeve (220) may be threaded or partiallythreaded in order to accept a mating fastener such as a bolt or screw.Thus, when the D shaped cross section portion (254) of the locking pin(250) is in the “up” position or with the flattened portion (254) facingup (see FIG. 10C cross-section) the nut can be threaded onto the matingscrew or bolt and when the nut is hand tight, the D clip can be rotatedto the “down” position where the flattened portion (254) is not facingup (see FIG. 7A), effectively increasing the distance between the bottomof the cup (10) and the washer (230) thereby causing the downwardpressure on the nut to secure the nut and its mating fastener inposition. As in FIG. 7A, this increase in thickness (relating to the camaction of the pin (250)) is sized to create a substantial amount offorce on the cup (10), effectively torquing the nut against the surfaceadjacent the nut and through which the mating fastener has beeninserted.

Although a rivet configuration is used to secure the washer (230) to thesleeve (220), it should be understood that other fastening techniquesand configurations may be used to secure the washer (230) to the sleeve(220) (e.g., interference fit, pin or pins inserted through the collar(222) above the washer to secure the washer to the sleeve (220), setscrews or simply posts threaded above the washer to prevent its removal,detents on the collar that the washer gets pressed over and then securedon the sleeve thereby, ball and detent configurations, etc.). In fact inother embodiments, the washer (230) may be formed integrally with thesleeve (220) so long as the washer (230) continues to allow theappropriate amount of deflection required to allow the necessarymovement of the pin (250) to take place (e.g., to allow the abovedescribed cam or camming action to take place). If desired, the fastenercould be designed such that the sleeve with integral washer could thenbe interference fit into the cup (10). In still others forms, the washermay be replaced with a threaded cap that screws onto the collar (228)and provides a surface for capturing the pin (250) while still allowingfor deflection (e.g., if the fastener nut is not setup with the pin todeflect). In still other forms, the fastener may be configured with apartially enclosed cap (10). For example, in such an embodiment thewasher (230) may be inserted into the bottom of the cap with the capbeing used to retain the washer, but still having a center openingthrough which the shank, stud or post (710) is disposed.

It also should be understood that although the cup (10) and sleeve (220)are illustrated as having cylindrical configurations, these parts couldtake various other sizes and shapes in alternate embodiments if desired.For example, both the cup (10) and sleeve (220) could be configured withsquare or rectangular shapes. In one form, the shape of the sleeve (220)may be configured so that it matches a mating shape of the inner openingof the cup (10) so that the sleeve (220) cannot be rotated with respectto the cup (10) (or rotated separate and apart from the cup (10)) whendisposed within the cup (10).

Thus, in the embodiment of FIGS. 7A-10E, a self locking nut typefastener is disclosed that is self-contained and resists loosening evenwhen used in applications and environments where the fastener is exposedto vibration or shock. Unlike conventional fasteners, the cam actuator(250) is contained within the cup (10) and does not need to come intodirect contact with the article that is being fastened. When actuatedthe cam actuator (250) applies force on the cup (10) to engage anexternal surface of one of the articles being fastened thereby causingthe articles to be secured or clamped together so that one cannot movewith respect to the other. In the form illustrated the washer (230)serves as a spring that allows the fastener to apply the force on cup(10) which ultimately causes the clamping of the articles being fastenedtogether.

In yet another form, the invention may comprise a collar similar to thenut configuration illustrated in FIGS. 7A-10E, but which may be usedwith a conventional fastener such as a screw or bolt to form a selflocking fastener. For example, in the form illustrated in FIGS. 3A-C, aconventional screw or bolt could be inserted into the central opening(222) of the sleeve (220) so that the assembled component would looksomewhat similar to the assembly of FIG. 1 and could be screwed orthreaded into a mating opening when the pin (250) is in the “up”position or with the flattened portion (254) facing up, tightened untilhand tight, and then locked into position by rotating the pin (250) intothe “down” position or with the flattened portion (254) in a positionother than facing up. The conventional screw or bolt could be capturedwithin or by the inner collar (228) during the deforming step of thetubular rivet so that the upsetting or bucking of the rivet (228) notonly secures the washer (230) to sleeve (220), but also provides anobstruction preventing the conventional fastener from being removed fromthe inner opening (222) of sleeve (220).

A portion of the central opening (222) of the sleeve (220) could also beconfigured to have a shape that mates with the head of the conventionalfastener to ensure that the conventional fastener will rotate along withthe rotation of the sleeve (220) and/or cup (10) and not independentlyof one and/or both of these parts. For example, in one form at least aportion of the central opening (222) may form a hexagonal socket withinwhich the hex head of a conventional fastener is inserted (e.g.,disposed or nested) so that the conventional fastener cannot be rotatedindependent of the sleeve (220). Other mating configurations or shapescould alternatively be used as discussed above with respect to themating shapes of the screw head (30) and cup opening (20) of FIGS. 1A-M.For example, the conventional fastener could be interference fit (e.g.,press fit, friction fit, etc.) into the inner opening (222) of sleeve(220) so that it does not rotate with respect to the sleeve (220) and/orcup (10). In one such form, the head of the conventional fastener may bestar shaped (or starred) and press fit into the sleeve (220) like apress fit nut. In yet other embodiments, the fastener may comprise athreaded shank (238) disposed in sleeve (220) and secured thereto via aset screw (239) as shown in FIG. 3A. The sleeve (220) may also bedesigned with a shape that accommodates conventional tools, such as therectangular head configuration illustrated which can be rotated usingconventional sockets, pliers or wrenches, or alternate designs such assockets for conventional screwdrivers. Besides providing a flat surfaceto prevent rotation of the sleeve (220) and shank (238) from rotatingwith respect to the cup (10) when the cam (250) is inserted through theopenings (12) of the cup (10) and the fastener is fully assembled,another advantage to the rectangular shaped sleeve head illustrated inFIG. 3A is that the sleeve (220) can be positioned in one of fourdifferent orientations with respect to the cup (10) and the cam (250).

Now turning back to FIG. 7A-10E an alternate threaded body that can beinserted (threaded) into the opening (222) of sleeve (220) is afractional turn fastener, such as quarter turn stud (710 and 740). Thesestuds are comprised of a threaded portion (712 and 742 respectfully)that match the threads (222) in sleeve (220) and a pin receiver (714 and744 respectfully). These studs work in conjunction with a socket such asthe panel mount inserts (720 and 750) and rivet insert (730). The panelmount (720 and 750) and rivet insert (730) contains mating features suchas pins (724, 754 and 738) that engage a groove (714) or slot (744) inthe threaded studs (710 and 740). To engage the studs (710 and 740) withtheir mating insert (720, 730 and 750), the grooved (714) or slotted(744) portion of the studs are aligned with openings (726, 756 and 736)and clocked with the pins (724, 754 and 738). Once aligned the studs arepushed into the mating insert and turned until they are fully engaged(when they will no longer turn). When used with a threaded fastener suchas that in FIG. 7A-10E they form a fractional turn fastener. The rivetinsert (730) is an alternate mount that may be used in place of pressfit or friction fit panel mounts (720 and 750).

Still other forms of fractional turn components are shown in FIG. 11-13where stud (740) is shown with several forms of receivers that willengage the stud (710 and 740) similar to above. However, it should beappreciated that several alternate forms of receivers may be used inkeeping with the concepts of the invention disclosed herein. Thethreaded receiver (770) in FIG. 11 shows a threaded portion (774) thatcould be attached to a body to be fastened. The pocket (776) would serveto contain pin (772) and work as a socket to receive the slotted portionof stud (740). FIG. 12 shows a similar receiver stud with a threadedportion (784) that does not possess a socket but has an exposed pin(782) that engages the slot of stud (740). Still another form ofreceiver is the weld plate (790) in FIG. 13. The weld plate consists ofa plate (796) made of weldable material such as hot roll or stainlesssteel, or aluminum, a pin (792), a receiver hole (794) and additionalmounting holes (798). This plate could be attached to a mating bodyusing welds, screws or rivets. It serves as a receiver similar to thatof FIG. 11.

In another form, the invention may comprise a more simplistic fastenersuch as a nut with a threaded insert, sleeve, washer and cam lockingmechanism as illustrated in FIGS. 14A-M. In this embodiment, thefastener is designed with an insert (820), a sleeve (810), a washer(830) and pin (840) similar to those discussed above with respect toFIGS. 7A-10E, which uses a centered pin (840) that engages both pockets(814) in sleeve (810) on both sides. The bottom of pockets (814) serveas a surface which engages the pin (840). The insert (820) is coaxiallyaligned with the opening (812) of the sleeve (810) and fitted with aslip fit with opening (812) defined by the sleeve (810) in order toallow the insert (820) to freely move axially within the opening (812).In the form illustrated, the opening (822) of sleeve (820) may bethreaded or partially threaded in order to accept a mating fastener suchas a bolt or screw. The insert (820) can also include a friction elementinserted into opening (828) that is comprised of a polymer pin thatapplies resistance to turning of a threaded component inserted intoopening (822). The friction element is inserted into a hole that isdrilled perpendicular to the primary axis of the sleeve opening (822).It should be noted that other means of frictional elements could beapplied to either the opening (822) or to the threaded component thatengages opening (822). These other means could be in the form of a nylonpatch melted to the threads or a nylon button attached such as Nylok.When assembled the shank of the insert (820) will pass through theopening (832) of washer (830) and the opening of (812) of sleeve (810).The head (824) of insert (820) is a larger diameter than the opening(832) of washer (830) therefore containing the washer (830). In apreferred form once assembled the bottom rim of the insert (820) can bedeformed (e.g., upset or bucked) creating lobes (826) to secure theinsert from slipping out of the sleeve (810) via containing the lobes(826) inside a groove (816) of sleeve (810). The lobes (826) are formedsuch that they allow some axial movement of the insert (820) withrespect to the sleeve (810). The lobes (826) also serve to restrict thesleeve (810) from rotating with respect to the insert (820). Thus, whenthe D shaped cross section portion (844) of the locking pin (840) is inthe “up” position or with the flattened portion (844) facing up (seeFIG. 14E) the nut can be threaded onto the mating screw or bolt and whenthe nut is hand tight, the D clip can be rotated to the “down” positionwhere the flattened portion (844) is not facing up (see FIG. 14L),effectively increasing the distance between the bottom of the sleeve(810) and the washer (830) thereby causing an upward force on the insert(820) and downward pressure on the nut to secure the nut and its matingfastener in position. As in FIG. 14K, this increase in thickness(relating to the cam action of the pin (830)) is sized to create asubstantial amount of force on the sleeve (210), effectively torquingthe nut against the surface adjacent the nut and through which themating fastener has been inserted.

In another form, the invention may comprise a device for pluggingopenings such as an oil plug with a cup, plug, washer, O-ring and a camlocking mechanism as illustrated in FIGS. 15A-E. In this embodiment, thefastener is designed with a cup (910), a plug (920), a washer (930) andpin (940) similar to those discussed above with respect to FIGS. 7A-10E.The fastener uses a centered pin (940) that engages both pockets (914)in plug (920) on both sides that prevents, inhibits or retards the plug(920) and cup (910) from rotating with respect to each other. The bottomof pockets (914) serve as a surface which engages the pin (940) wheninserted through the holes (912) of cup (910). The inner collar (928) iscoaxially aligned with the remainder of the plug (920). In a preferredform the inner collar (928) comprises a tubular rivet which the washer(930) can be positioned about via opening (932) and then the collar canbe deformed (e.g., upset or bucked) to secure the washer (930) to theplug (920). With the washer (930) and plug (920) connected and insertedinside the cup (910), at least a portion of the locking pin (940) can bepassed through the alignment holes (912) in the cup (910), effectivelyholding all four pieces of the assembly together.

In the form illustrated, the plug also contains a groove (926) (shown inFIG. 15C). Where an O-ring (990) can be disposed. The O-ring (990) isused to form a liquid tight seal between the plug (920) and a matingsurface such as an oil pan when the plug is threaded (922) into a drainopening of the oil pan. It should be mentioned that an O-ring isillustrated here but other types of seals could be used such as rubberor plastic gaskets or crush rings. Thus, when the D shaped cross sectionportion (944) of the locking pin (940) is in the “up” position or withthe flattened portion (944) facing up (see FIG. 15A) the plug can bethreaded into a drain opening and when the plug is hand tight, the Dclip can be rotated to the “down” position similar to that shown in FIG.14J-M where the flattened portion (944) is not facing up effectivelyincreasing the distance between the bottom of the cup (910) and thewasher (930) thereby causing the downward pressure on the plug to securethe plug and its mating surface in position. This increase in thickness(relating to the cam action of the pin (940)) is sized to create asubstantial amount of force on the cup (910), effectively torquing theplug against the surface adjacent the plug and through which the plughas been inserted.

Although a rivet configuration is used to secure the washer (930) to theplug (920), it should be understood that other fastening techniques andconfigurations may be used to secure the washer (930) to the plug (920)(e.g., a screw, interference fit, pin or pins inserted through thecollar (928) above the washer to secure the washer to the plug (920),set screws or simply posts threaded above the washer to prevent itsremoval, detents on the collar that the washer gets pressed over andthen secured on the plug thereby, ball and detent configurations, etc.).In fact in other embodiments, the washer (930) may be formed integrallywith the plug (920) so long as the washer (930) continues to allow theappropriate amount of deflection required to allow the necessarymovement of the pin (940) to take place (e.g., to allow the abovedescribed cam or camming action to take place). If desired, the fastenercould be designed such that the plug with integral washer could then beinterference fit into the cup (910). In still others forms, the washermay be replaced with a threaded cap that screws onto the collar (928)and provides a surface for capturing the pin (940) while still allowingfor deflection (e.g., if the fastener nut is not setup with the pin todeflect).

This fastener should not be restricted to an oil plug only but could beused to create a vibration resistant leak-proof plug for manyapplications where tools are not required to lock and release the plug.For example, any application where plugs may be desired to preventleaks, such as live bait wells, boat wells, fluid container openings,etc. In a preferred form, however, the plug will be used in applicationswhere the fluid opening is threaded or in conjunction with items thathelp thread such openings. It should also be appreciated that the plugshown here uses a centered pin (910) but could also use an off centeredpin similar to FIG. 2A-M where the pin could be removed and the plugorientation to the cup can be reoriented one of several positions.

Another exemplary embodiment of a fastener for obstructing or pluggingan opening is illustrated in FIGS. 16A-K. Like the plug illustrated inFIGS. 15A-E, the plug in FIGS. 16A-K includes an outer member, such as acup or sleeve, an inner member, such as an insert, a biasing member,such as a spring washer, and an actuator, such as a handle or pin. Inkeeping with the above practice, items in the embodiment of FIGS. 16A-Kthat are similar to items in earlier embodiments will be referencedusing the same latter two-digit reference numeral, but adding adifferent prefix, (e.g., prefix 16), in order to distinguish thisembodiment from prior embodiments. Thus, the outer member is referencedas (1610), the inner member is referenced as (1620), the biasing memberis referenced as (1630) and the actuator is referenced as (1640).

In the form illustrated in FIGS. 16A-K, the fastener uses a centeredactuator (1640) that is arcuate in shape and has distal ends 1644 thatare disposed or nested in mating recesses within the outer body 1610,such as pockets 1614, which define openings 1612 in the outer body 1610into which the distal ends of handle 1640 are inserted. At least one ofthe distal ends 1644 includes a cammed surface that allows the actuator1640 to be used to deform the biasing member 1630. In a preferred formand in the form illustrated, both of the distal ends 1644 of actuator1640 have cammed surfaces, such as D-shaped surfaces illustrated inFIGS. 16A-K, and are located on opposite sides of plug insert 1620. Theactuator 1640 operates in a manner similar to the actuator 940 of FIGS.15A-E and for this reason such operation will not be repeated here forpurposes of brevity and to avoid redundancy. Unlike the prior embodimentof FIGS. 15A-E, however, the fastener illustrated in FIGS. 16A-Kincludes a plurality of seals for helping the fastener make afluid-tight seal when inserted into an opening.

More particularly, the fastener includes a first seal, such as O-ring1690, and a second seal, such as O-ring 1692. The first O-ring 1690operates similar to O-ring 990 in FIGS. 15A-E, but is at least partiallydisposed within a channel or recess 1626 defined by a lower or downwardfacing surface of outer body 1610, rather than being located in theinsert 1620 as is done in FIGS. 15A-E. Thus, the fastener makes a firstsealing engagement between the portions of the first seal 1690 thatextends downward from channel 1626 and the work piece or work piecesurface to which the fastener is connected. The second O-ring 1692 isdisposed on the insert 1620 and, preferably, is positioned within achannel or recess 1622 defined in an outer annular surface of insert1620 somewhere between the upper and lower ends of the insert 1620. Inthe form illustrated, the second O-ring 1692 is positioned generallyabout a mid-point of insert 1620 and, in some respects, serves as aback-up seal preventing fluid from traveling through the fastener;however, in a preferred form it should be understood that the secondseal's primary function is rather that of a second biasing member orfriction member urging the fastener into its first or engaged positionwherein the mating structures of the insert and outer body are engagedwith one another.

Like the prior embodiment of FIGS. 15A-E, the outer body or sleeve 1610and first biasing member 1630 define inner openings 1612 and 1632,respectively, and insert 1620 includes a connecting or fastening member,such as inner collar or tubular collar 1628, which is sized to passthrough the opening 1632 of biasing member 1630 so that the collar 1628can be deformed, upset or bucked to secure the biasing member 1630 tothe inner body or insert 1620. Unlike prior embodiments, however, thefastener of FIGS. 16A-K further includes a repositioning or reorientingmechanism that allows the outer body 1610 and actuator 1640 to be movedindependent of the insert 1620 and the insert 1620 to be movedindependent of the outer body or sleeve 1610 and actuator 1640.

In one form, at least one of the outer body or sleeve 1610 and insert1620 includes one or more male mating members, such as protrusions, andthe other of the outer body/sleeve 1610 and insert 1620 includes one ormore mating female members or structures. In some embodiments the outerbody/sleeve 1610 and insert 1620 may have a plurality of male matingstructures and mating female structures, such as alternating male andfemale structures that correspond with alternating female and malestructures on the other structure. In other forms, the outer body/sleeve1610 may have one mating structure (i.e., male or female) and the insert1620 may have one corresponding mating structure (i.e., female or male).It should be understood that many different configurations and/orcombinations of mating male and female structures are contemplated andintended to be covered by this disclosure.

In the form illustrated in FIGS. 16A-K, one exemplary embodiment of sucha repositioning mechanism is disclosed. In this form, insert 1620includes male mating members 1625 extending from a surface or surfacesthereof, and outer body/sleeve 1610 defines mating female members 1618configured to receive the male mating members 1625. When the fastener isin its normally biased first or engaged position (see FIG. 16F), themating members 1625, 1618 are engaged or mated with one another andprevent the insert 1620 moving separate and apart from the outer body1610 and actuator 1640. When the fastener is in its second or disengagedposition (see FIG. 16I), the mating members 1625, 1618 are disengagedfrom one another and allow the insert 1620 to move independently of theouter body 1610 and actuator 1640 and, in some forms, this allow theouter body 1610 and actuator 1640 to move independent of the insert 1620and the insert 1620 to move independent of the outer body 1610 andactuator 1640. In other words, in the first position the mating members1625, 1618 force the insert 1620 and outer body/actuator to travel inunison. Whereas, in the second position the mating members 1625, 1618allow the insert 1620 and outer body 1610 to move freely and independentof one another. In alternate forms, it should be understood that thefastener may be configured so that only one of the insert 1620 and outerbody/actuator are moveable with respect to the other.

In FIGS. 16A-B, mating male structures 1625 are shown formed in theinsert 1620 before it is assembled to the outer sleeve or body 1610 andbiasing mechanism 1630, however, this is simply for convenience and notan accurate depiction of what this product would look like prior toproduction or assembly. Rather, the male mating structures 1625 wouldnot be formed until the insert is disposed within the outer sleevemember 1610 so that the insert 1620 can fit fully through opening 1616.This configuration also prevents the insert 1620 from beinginadvertently removed from outer body 1610 (or the outer body 1610 frombeing removed from the insert 161). More particularly, after the insert1620 is disposed in outer body 1610, a portion of the insert 1620 isdeformed to prevent inadvertent removal of the insert from the outerbody and vice versa. It also should be understood that the inner collaror tubular rivet 1628 would also be deformed or bucked after the collar1628 is disposed in the opening 1632 of biasing member 1630. Inalternate forms, the outer body 1610 may define openings that the malemating members 1625 can be aligned with to allow for the removal of theinsert 1620 from the outer body or sleeve 1620 if desired.

Turning now to a more detailed look at the repositioning or reorientingmechanism of FIGS. 16A-K, in the form illustrated, the repositioningmechanism further includes a two stage outer body or locking sleeve 1610with one stage or portion 1617 defining an opening with a first innerdiameter and a second stage or portion 1616 defining an opening with asecond inner diameter different than the first inner diameter and,preferably, smaller than the first. The smaller inner diameter stage1616 is preferably sized such that the male mating structures 1625cannot fit through the opening of inner diameter portion 1616. In theform illustrated, the insert 1620 is similarly staged having a firstportion defining a first outer diameter and a second portion defining asecond outer diameter different from the first and, preferably, smallerthan the first outer diameter. Thus, both the outer body 1610 and insert1620 have stepped configuration and, preferably corresponding steppedconfigurations.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 16F, G and I, second biasing mechanism orO-ring 1692 is allowed to fill the larger opening existing between thechannel 1622 and larger inner diameter stage 1617 of outer body 1620(see FIGS. 16F-16G) when the fastener is in the first or engagedposition. However, when the fastener is moved toward and/or into thesecond or disengaged position, the second biasing mechanism or O-ring1692 is forced to occupy the smaller opening existing between thechannel 1622 and smaller inner diameter stage 1616 of outer body 1620(see FIGS. 16G and 16I). In the form illustrated, the second biasingmechanism 1692 is made of a malleable material like fluoroelastomers,buna-nitrlile, urethanes, or the like so that it can be deformed to fitwithin the smaller opening between channel 1622 and inner diameterportion 1616 when the fastener is in the second or disengaged positionand return to its normal or natural shape when the fastener is in thefirst or engaged position. It is this deformation that causes the secondbiasing member 1692 to urge or bias the fastener into the firstposition. Although the O-rings 1692 and 1690 have been removed fromFIGS. 16F, 16G and 16I to make the O-ring channels or receptacles morevisible, it should be clear that the second O-ring largely fills theopening defined by the channel 1622 and larger inner diameter portion1617 and is thus forced to deform to fit into the second opening definedby the channel 1622 and smaller inner diameter portion 1616. In the formillustrated, a portion of the O-ring 1692 remains in the opening definedby channel 1622 and larger inner diameter portion 1617 when the fasteneris moved into the second or disengaged position due to the fact theO-ring is slightly larger than the opening defined by channel 1622 andsmaller inner diameter portion 1616.

FIGS. 16I and 16J best illustrate how the mating members 1625 and 1618disengage from one another when the fastener is moved into the second ordisengaged position. More particularly, male mating members 1625 aremoved from a first position wherein the male mating members 1625 rest inthe recesses 1618 defined by outer body 1610 to a second positionwherein the male mating members 1625 are moved to a position ofclearance above the recesses 1618 so that either the insert 1610 canmove freely with respect to the outer body 1620 or the outer body 1620can move freely with respect to insert 1610. In a preferred form, thelatter is considered the primary concern (i.e., moving the outer body1620 with respect to the insert 1610) as this allows the user toreposition or re-orient the position of actuator handle 1640 when theinsert 1610 is connected to one or more work pieces or a work surface.This allows the fastener of FIGS. 16A-F to offer ways in which thefastener can be adjusted or altered without tools in order toaccommodate particular users (e.g., left handers, right handers, thosewith injuries or limitations, etc.) and/or to accommodate the particularapplication or environment the fastener is used in (e.g., theparticulars with respect to the surrounding environment, such as if itis a tight working space or if obstructions are present, etc.).

In FIG. 16K, vertical arrows indicate that an upward force may beapplied to the plug insert 1620 or to the actuator 1640 in order to movethe fastener from its normally biased first or engaged position toward,and eventually into, the second or disengaged position. Once this isdone, the horizontal arrow illustrates how the outer body 1610 andactuator handle 1640 can be rotated with respect to insert 1620. Thus,in operation, a user could pull up on actuator handle or pin 1640 toexert the required force to move the fastener into the second disengagedposition. Alternatively, the inner body or insert 1620 can be pushed upin order to exert the required force to move the fastener into thesecond disengaged position.

In addition to showing how the fastener can be operated, FIG. 16K alsoillustrates an optional cover 1670 that may be used with the fastener.The cover may be used to protect the biasing member 1630, therepositioning mechanism and/or the joint between actuator 1640(specifically distal ends 1644) and outer body 1610 (specifically bed1614 and opening 1612) from debris so that operation of these componentsis not interfered with or hampered in any way. The cover may also beused to provide a local for indicia or other form of marking. Forexample, trademarks and or product specifications, such as dimensions orsize data may be provided on cover 1670. In addition, cover 1670 may becolor coated for any of a variety of reasons. For example, differentsized products such as plugs may be color coated in order to make iteasier for consumers to locate or identify the correct part orreplacement part or to reduce the risk a consumer will inadvertentlypurchase the wrong product. In addition or alternatively, covers ofdifferent colors may be provided to match a trade dress that is desiredfor the fastener product for a particular application or to simply matchthe color of the surrounding environment of the particular application.In some instances color may be chosen to purposely not match thesurrounding environment so that the fastener purposefully sticks out andmakes it easier for the user or consumer to locate the fastener incertain applications. In yet another example, the cover 1670 may be usedto allow for a more aesthetic appearance relating to a particularapplication.

In one exemplary embodiment, the fastener of FIGS. 16A-F is used as afluid drain plug, such as an oil drain plug for a vehicle or machine ora boat drain plug (e.g., bilge, well or hull plug) for a boat or vessel.Such a fastener would replace existing fluid drain plugs for suchapplications which require the use of tools and often are located intight or cramped work spaces and in applications that expose such plugsto vibration (e.g., automobile, motorcycle and tractor applications),with the quick-release fastener of FIGS. 16A-F which can be operatedwithout tools and is better suited for applications that expose suchplug fasteners to vibration.

The fastener of FIGS. 16A-K may include additional features for use inspecific applications. For example, in the oil drain plug applicationdiscussed above, the fastener may be configured with an opening 1629(see FIG. 16B) in the insert to accommodate a magnet, such as a rareearth magnet, so that magnetic fragments in the fluid retained by thedrain plug (such as metal shavings or iron wear dispersed in oil) willbe drawn to and connected to the magnet to effectively filter thisdebris out of the retained fluid. The material chosen for the accessorywill preferably be selected based on the intended application. Thus, forhigh temperature applications such as oil drain plugs, high temperaturerare earth magnets will be used so the high temperatures do notnegatively impact the magnet (e.g., demagnetize the magnet, weaken themagnetization, soften the material, etc.). In alternate forms, theopening 1629 may be used to allow for a different means of fastening thebiasing member 1630 to the insert 1620 and/or to allow for additionalcomponents to be made using the general configuration of the fastener ofFIGS. 16A-K. For example, in some forms a threaded shank may be insertedinto opening 1629 so that the fastener operates like the screw typefasteners discussed above. In other forms, the opening 1629 as well asinner diameter of outer member 1610 may also be threaded so that thefastener of FIGS. 16A-K can be used like the nut type fastenersdiscussed above or so that the fastener can be disassembled and used indifferent manners (e.g., used as a plug in some applications, used as anut in other applications by such as by using the internally threadedopening 1629 or by removing the insert 1620 and using the internallythreaded outer member 1610, etc.). In still other applications, opening1629 may be used without any accessory to simply reduce the weightand/or material expense associate with the fastener.

Turning now to FIG. 17, in which there is illustrated yet anotherembodiment of a fastener in accordance with the invention, the fastenerbeing a ratchet type fastener. In keeping with above practice, itemsthat are similar to those discussed above will use similar lattertwo-digit reference numerals but include the prefix “17” to distinguishthis embodiment from others. Thus the fastener outer body will bereferenced as 1710, insert will be referenced as 1720 and actuator willbe referenced as 1744, etc. Items the operate in manners similar tothose discussed above will not be referenced in order to avoidduplicity, but it should be understood that prior descriptions of itemsand operation of similar items in prior embodiments equally applies tothis embodiment as it has with several prior embodiments.

Unlike prior embodiments, the fastener of FIG. 17 includes a ratchetmechanism for alerting a user or consumer as to when the fastener hasbeen tightened a sufficient amount so that the user knows to stoprotating or tightening the fastener and simply move the actuator 1740from its unlocked or unsecured position (i.e., when the actuator handle1740 is positioned vertical or perpendicular to the plane or planescontaining the upper surfaces of insert 1720 and outer sleeve or body1710) to its locked or secured position (i.e., when the actuator handleis pivoted so that the actuator handle is generally parallel to theplane or planes containing the upper surfaces of the insert 1720 andouter sleeve 1710). Such pivoting or rotation of the actuator 1740causes the D-shaped portion 1744 of the actuator to move from theposition where the flat side of the D-shaped portion 1744 is facing uptoward the biasing spring 1730 to a position wherein the cam of theD-shaped portion 1744 engages the biasing spring 1730 to exert downwardforce on the fastener and secure the fastener to the work pieces or workpiece/work surface to which the fastener is connected.

In the form illustrated, the ratchet mechanism includes a gear 1727mounted on insert 1720 and pawl 1718 mounted on outer body or sleeve1710. More particularly, the gear 1727 and pawl 1718 are mounted on theupper surfaces or upward facing surfaces of insert 1720 and sleeve 1710,respectively. The pawl 1718 includes a protrusion which, in the formillustrated, is of a simple wire configuration 1780. The positioning ororientation of the pawl 1718 is such that it only allows rotation of theouter body 1710 and actuator 1740 in a first direction, and preventsrotation of the outer body 1710 and actuator 1740 in a second direction,opposite of the first direction. In a preferred form, the ratchetfastener further includes a repositioning mechanism or configurationsimilar to that of FIGS. 16A-K so that the repositioning mechanism canbe moved from a first position which it is normally biased in andwherein the body 1710/actuator 1740 and insert 1720 cannot be moveindependent of one another, to a second position wherein the body1710/actuator 1740 and insert 1720 can be moved independent of oneanother.

Thus, in FIG. 17 a ratcheting and/or audible fastener is provided thatmakes it easy for a user (e.g., consumer) to determine when the fastenerhas been secured to a work piece a sufficient amount so that the userknows to stop rotating the fastener and simply move the actuator pin orhandle 1740 from its unlocked or unsecured position to its locked orsecured position. The ratcheting fastener can provide audible feedbackand/or tactile feedback to a user to help the user understand when thefastener has been sufficiently coupled or uncoupled to a work piece orwork pieces. As mentioned above, in some forms, the ratcheting fasteneris even configured to allow rotation in only one direction to furthersimplify operation of the fastener for the user.

Yet another embodiment of an exemplary fastener in accordance with theinvention is illustrated in FIGS. 18A-D. In this embodiment, amulti-piece outer body or sleeve is disclosed having a first outer bodymember 1810 and a second outer body member 1819. Like prior embodiments,the fastener further includes an insert 1820, biasing member 1830, andactuator 1840. Unlike prior embodiments, however, the two-part structureof the outer body may allow for the fastener to be provided withcomponents made of multiple different materials. Thus, thisconfiguration allows for the fastener to be customized or improved (oreven perfected) for specific applications. For example, in someapplications a very inexpensive plug may be desired due to the fact theplug is not subjected to harsh forces. In fact, the only major harshaspect of the application may be the wear associate with operation ofthe cam lever or actuator 1840. With the multi-piece configurationprovided in FIGS. 18A-D, the insert 1820 and first outer body member1810 may be provided in an inexpensive plastic (e.g., polyethylene)while the second outer body member 1819, actuator 1840 and biasingmechanism 1830 may be provided in metal to account for the wear theseitems face when transitioning the fastener between the cam lever lockedand unlocked positions.

As another example, the multi-piece structure of FIGS. 18A-D may alsoallow the fastener to be made of different forms of material specificfor the application and/or preferred for the application. For example,in high temperature applications, certain components of the fastener maybe chosen for their ability to withstand the temperatures that portionof the component will be subjected to in its intended application.Similarly, in the boat hull plug applications mentioned above, theportion of the fastener that is exposed to brine or saltwater may beselected of a certain type of metal while the remainder of the componentis made-up of a less expensive metal. In yet another example, the oildrain plug mentioned above may have the insert made of a less expensivemetal and the outer body or optional cap made of a more expensivematerial (e.g., chrome, anodized aluminum, brushed stainless steel,etc.).

Thus, it should be understood that numerous types of fasteners aredisclosed herein and contemplated in view of this disclosure. Forexample, a plug type fastener is disclosing having an outer body, andinner body, a first biasing mechanism coupled to an actuator forexerting force on the inner body to secure the fastener in place whenthe fastener is coupled to a work piece and the actuator is moved from afirst position toward a second position. The fastener having a firstseal disposed at least partially within the outer body for creating asealing engagement between the fastener and a work surface to which thefastener is connected. The fastener also having a repositioningmechanism moveable between a first engaged position wherein the outerbody and inner body move only in unison with one another and a seconddisengaged position wherein the outer body and inner body are moveableindependent from one another or at least the outer body is moveable withrespect to the inner body so that at least one of the outer body andactuator are moveable with respect to the inner body. In one form, thefastener includes a second biasing mechanism positioned between theouter body and inner body for biasing the repositioning mechanism in thefirst engaged position. In another form, a multi-part fastener isprovided have a first member, a second member positioned within thefirst member, a third member coaxially aligned with the first member,and a first biasing mechanism coupled to an actuator for exerting forceon the second member to secure the fastener in place when the fasteneris coupled to a work piece and the actuator is moved from a firstposition toward a second position. Such a multi-piece fastener can becustomized for a particular application by selecting specific materialsfor the separate components that are desirable for that portion of thefastener given the intended application. In other forms, any of theabove embodiments may be provided with an optional cover that has agenerally flat planer top that provides sufficient surface area formarking the fastener with markings that indicate something about thefastener (e.g., trademark, size or dimensions of part, color coding torepresent trade dress or fastener size or intended use, designs, etc.).

It should be appreciated that any of the features of the embodimentsdiscussed above may be combined to form further embodiments. It shouldalso be understood that descriptions of features similar to thosealready discussed have been abbreviated so as not to be repetitive orredundant. Thus, descriptions from one embodiment can and likely doapply to similar structures on other embodiments.

It should also be appreciate that associate methods for manufacturing,assembling and customizing fasteners like those discussed above are alsocontemplated herein. For example, a method of customizing a fastenerusing specific designs (including color alone) to denote a property ofor intended use for the fastener is disclosed herein. Similarly, methodof manufacturing non-marring and abrasion resistant fasteners aredisclosed herein, as are methods for manufacturing ambidextrousfasteners. Methods of manufacturing and using two piece fractional termconnectors, simplistic washer, insert, sleeve and cam actuatedfasteners, and fluid plugging devices are also disclosed and claimedherein. In addition, methods of manufacturing or providing two-piece,fractional turn, quick-release, plug, reorientable, ratcheting and/oraudible or tactile feedback type and poly-material fasteners are alsoprovided herein, as are methods of securing or using such fasteners.Methods of marking fasteners with various designs, marks, indicia andthe like are also disclosed as are methods of identifying and/ordistinguishing fasteners using color, indicia, marks and similarmarkings.

Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance withthe invention, a fastener and methods relating to same that fullysatisfy the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While theinvention has been described in conjunction with specific embodimentsthereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications andvariations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of theforegoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all suchalternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit andbroad scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fastener comprising: A first body defining atleast one recess; A biasing mechanism positioned proximate the firstbody, adjacent the at least one recess and movable between a firstposition and a second position; A second body coupled to first body andthe biasing mechanism to form an assembly; and an actuator having firstand second ends and a gripping portion therebetween movable between alocked position and released position, with at least one of the firstend and second end disposed within the recess between the first body andbiasing mechanism.
 2. The fastener of claim 1 wherein the at least oneof the first end and second end of the actuator disposed within therecess between the first body and biasing mechanism includes a cammingsurface, with the camming surface engaging and driving the biasingmechanism into the second position when the actuator is in a lockedposition and the camming surface not engaging and driving the biasingmechanism into the second position when the actuator is in the releasedposition.
 3. The fastener of claim 2 wherein the biasing mechanism is aspring washer normally biased in the first position and is deflected inthe second position by the camming surface of the actuator when theactuator is in the locked position.
 4. The fastener of claim 1 whereinthe second body includes a connector extending from an upper surfacethereof that couples the biasing mechanism to the second body.
 5. Thefastener of claim 4 wherein the connector is a deformed collar thatforms a rivet connection between the biasing mechanism and the secondbody.
 6. The fastener of claim 4 wherein the second body is ancylindrical structure at least partially internally threaded and havingfirst and second ends with a tubular protrusion extending from the firstend and a keyed portion on the second end that mates with a matingstructure in the first body, the biasing mechanism being a spring washerpositioned on the tubular protrusion of the first end of the second bodyand coupled thereto by a deformed distal end of the tubular protrusion,with both the first and second ends of the actuator disposed in therecess of the first body and captured between the first body and thespring washer.
 7. A fastener comprising: a first body; a biasing memberpositioned proximate the first body and movable between a first normallybiased position and a second deflected position; and an actuatorpositioned and captured between the first body and biasing mechanism andmoveable between an unlocked position wherein the biasing member is inthe normally biased position and a locked position wherein the biasingmember is in the deflected position.
 8. The fastener of claim 7 whereinthe biasing member is connected to the first body via a second body,wherein the biasing member is a spring washer and the actuator is alever having first and second ends with a gripping portion therebetweenthat may be grasped to move the lever between the unlocked and lockedpositions.
 9. The fastener of claim 8 wherein the second body defines anat least partially internally threaded bore and includes a tubularportion extending from one end that is inserted through a centralopening in the spring washer and deformed over an edge of the springwasher to connect the spring washer to the second body.